A small UAV (unmanned air vehicle) for intelligence reconnaissance. The UAV's flight and activities are directed from the ground by a mission control center that serves, in effect, as its pilot.

The Scout's development was a concerted effort by all of the departments that comprise the IAI. There were many hardships to overcome: it was difficult, at first, to get used to the idea of relying on a small UAV, and there were many new challenges, also, as far as engineering was concerned. There were no ready-made components and subsystems, and everything had to be developed from scratch.

The Scout system includes several UAV's, a ground based mission control center, and launch/retrieving systems. Also integrated into the Scout system are different kinds of remote receiving systems, including a Video Receiving Assembly - a lightweight transportable microwave receiving unit capable of receiving video, telemetry and data broadcasted from an airborne surveillance platform, and a mobile Tactical Intelligence Microwave Data Link.

The UAV itself is made of composite materials, and has several electronic and mechanical subsystems, including special reconnaissance/surveillance electro-optical payloads and airborne data relays. The Scout's main missions were to carry a stabilized video camera for real time transmission, and various infra-red systems.

Over time, different submodels were developed, with variations in wingspan, and unique payloads designed for jamming enemy communications, and electronic warfare. The Scout was first presented publicly at the Paris Air Show in 1979, and was used over Syria and Lebanon during Operation Peace for the Galilee (1982) and afterwards. The Scout has excellent performance and maneuverability specs.